In a Timeless World
by Summer Wonderland
Summary: Jealousy and revenge are powers fueled by negativity, yet, they manage to corrupt even the kindest of hearts in a purely harmonic world. As the tide begins to turn, see how well three heroes fair in a battle of emotion. AdultSarink, please R&R.
1. Undying Memory

Chapter One – Undying Memory

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><p>x x x<p>

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><p><em>She remembers how briefly his fingers touched the palm of her hand... just for that moment... <em>

_As he released his grip on the item he held in his hands, her eyes sparkled. He actually thought of her during his journey._

"_I had it made for you," he said. He was kneeling in front of her, and had both of his arms draped across his lap. He was so tall now, that even when he crouched, he was still bigger than her._

_In awe, she drew her brand new possession closer to her own body, silently gushing over the elaborate details and... what was that? Was that her name? And hi-_

"_Hey, hey! Don't look at that yet." he smiled, gently pushing the ocarina down. He covered it with his hand in the process._

_She looked up to him, and a knowing grin crossed her lips. She saw the carving of a heart somewhere around their names. Should she have confronted him?_

_He shook his head away from her and sighed, his face slowly turning an odd shade of pink. "Just don't start laughing at me... It'll hurt my pride."_

_...No. Of course not. She knew what was between them. She knew how they used to feel about each other... And so did he, obviously. There was no need._

"Saria?"

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Saria, are you out here..."

Slightly angered and confused, she found her arms pushing themselves from the ground, and her body sitting upright. She had fallen asleep in the grass.

"Fado, what did I tell you about coming out here alone..." she called, hazily taking in her surroundings.

The rustle of branches and leaves sounded somewhere nearby. "Well, I know what you said... but..."

With a plopping sound, the young Kokiri girl fell through the barrier of forest shrubbery. "We wanted you to tell a story before bed," she grinned.

Saria had been standing by now, and walked over to help Fado from the forest floor.

"You know every story I know," she said as she pulled Fado's arm upwards.

"Yeah, but no one tells the story of the Hero of Time with your enthusiasm."

Saria, though only slightly bigger than Fado, pushed back the wall of the forest to let her through the bushes.

"Nor does anyone tell it with your vivid descriptions of his glittering blue eyes, either."

Saria nudged the smaller girl in her side, and Fado giggled.

"So you'll do it?"

She was answered with a quick nod and a smile. "I'll go get the rest of us and come back, then."

Saria's smile instantly dropped as she watched Fado go. It was painful to watch others come and go from her domain, no matter how hard she tried not to show it... but she had to accept it. She had no choice.

Ever since Mido and Fado stumbled upon the area, and a surprised forest sage along with it, they'd always come back to visit her. Of course it was better than sitting there every day and playing her beautiful ocarina alone, but she still never liked to see that she'd be trapped here forever, and they wouldn't. It was part of being a sage, apparently.

After a few moments, Fado had returned with a line of Kokiri faces, some familiar to Saria, some not. Many years had passed, so there were bound to be new children in the village by now.

They laughed amongst themselves as they entered, some smiling at each other, and some smiling at Saria. She recognized the star-struck looks they gave her, and though she felt grateful and somewhat flattered, she mentally scolded them that they had no idea what it cost to be her. What it cost to be Saria, a lonely, immortal forest sage...

Suddenly, a hand was on her shoulder. Her empty eyes turned upon Mido.

"Saria... I'm glad you agreed to tell a story. Though I wish it were a different one... I'm still happy to see you every once in a while."

She forced a smile. It was slow, but it was something. She couldn't let anyone know that the loneliness of the meadow had changed her. And so she turned, walking away from Mido and to her stump. She never needed to do anything other than that to excuse herself from his presence anyway.

As she told the story, she'd put on a great smile, and emphasized the big 'plot twists.' She raised both of her hands in the air, filling the children's hearts with high hopes of the Hero's abilities during the events of the climax, and her voice drifted into a much gentler tone once she neared emotional parts, and the ending. Hiding one's true opinion of a story was a necessity for a tale-teller of course, but it was even more important with this one.

Because she hated this story. More than anything in the world.

"Now, off to bed. I hope you will remember this story for the rest of your lives. The Hero of Time just may come back to visit this village one day."

_'Whoa! The Hero of Time? Come back here?'_

_'I know! That would be so cool!'_

It might've been. But it was a lie. And yes, she should've known better than to say that, but she didn't care. The chlidren would have to face disappointment one day in their lives, whether it be the moment they realize they'll never age, or the day they have to come to terms with the fact that they'll never be allowed to share a mutual feeling with their closest Hylian friend...

She patted many heads of soft hair, and shared plenty of hugs before humbly making her way to her silent, crumbled temple. And as soon as she set foot in her domain, she let out a long, frustrated grunt.

That dream she had earlier was torture, and it never left her mind. Even while she was surrounded by dozens of bright-faced Kokiri children, that dream stuck itself to the back of her eyelids and was there every time she blinked. And it didn't help that when her eyes were open, she was telling every detail of that horrid story. The story of how her life became miserable.

You didn't have to be a witch to know that reviving old, painful memories in an empty soul, devoid of any greater purpose, was a bad idea. Doing so was the means of corruption, something Saria had tried to stay away from. But a desperate need had filled the place of Saria's existence now... A need to talk, a need to touch, and a need to taste. She was bitter. And she wanted life.

No, _A_ life.

A real one, like his...

She found it humorous sometimes. She wanted a life like his so much, yet, she had no idea what his life was even _like_. She laughed to herself a little. He could have been a retired hero by now, sitting on the balcony of his out-of-the-way mansion, resting in silence, peace, and solitude. Proud of his accomplishments, but too good of a person to boast to anyone else about it.

...No. He had grown too handsome for a future in solitude. And he was too humble and shy, if his looks failed to lure anyone in.

Saria hated the thought of it, but over time, she'd realized it was very probable... that he was probably somewhere serene, in the embrace of the Princess.

The princess... from what she had seen, was a beautiful woman, with long, rose-blonde hair, and starlit eyes. She was very intelligent and sweet, but she knew when to be serious, and how to be crystal clear about what she wanted.

The "Hero and Princess" fairytales never changed with time. The chemistry between a young warrior with a ethereal flame for a spirit and a graceful, beautiful and wise princess would never die. And just how could Link resist her anyway? Even if he didn't take a liking to her upon first glance, he had to've at least thought about her romantically once.

Link... That ignorant, selfish child... _Man_, she corrected herself. He was an ungrateful and selfish _man_, and once he was done with the people who had given him a home and a fairy... given him happiness... the start of his life... he forgot about them, and moved out into the world to be with the beautiful princess of Hyrule.

He'd left and never come back...

He forgot about where he had came from, and all that the Kokiri village had done for him. More importantly...

He forgot about her... abandoned her...

And she would hate him for it. Forever.

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><p>x x x<p>

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><p><em>AN: Erm, does anyone still read Link/Saria stuff? *cough*_

_Why I decided to try to write for a pairing that's so difficult as my 1st LoZ fic, I don't know. My beta has often said "you're doing too much" or just "...no" to my ideas, but I have a hunch that he's just a boy and he doesn't know what he's talking about. Just a hunch. ;P_

_But I suppose this isn't exactly AU since these things could happen, but in the same way I suppose it is, because NONE of this actually **would **happen. So, don't come throwing rocks with "THAT'LL NEVER HAPPEN" written on them through my window, you Zelink fans. We'll fight. _

_(And yes, I am aware that Saria is not 'trapped' in her temple, but I got the idea from TheKiro's story and for some reason I can't shake that concept. :D)_

_Also, I know my chapters might start off short and my wording may be weird. But I can't help it... that's how I write stories after I've taken a looong break I guess. They'll get longer once I need to add more descriptions and eventually, LINK'S train of thought. Squee! :3_

_Please review/critique what you can, there's probably a ton of stuff I should fix... but I'd like to know what I'm doing right, too, mmmk?_


	2. Spirits

Chapter Two - Spirits

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><p>x x x<p>

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><p><em>It was the first time they ever spoke of parting. <em>

_Link had fulfilled his destiny, and Saria had assisted him, as she was expected to. Princess Zelda hadn't interfered with their constant bickering yet. She just stood by, as a curious and silent onlooker, like the rest of the sages as they spoke about their future. They talked about the means of creating their 'happy ending,' about the world at peace. And then, the conversation had run into a lake of thick, insect-infested mud. Or that was what Saria could compare it to, anyway._

"_After this is all done, maybe I'll come to visit you." she said._

_After Saria had finished giggling, she quieted down after she realized that a brief period of uncomfortable silence had followed. The forest sage's smile dropped slowly, at the same rate that she'd noticed the hero of time's smile had faded as well. _

_Had she said something wrong?_

"_Link?"_

"_What do you mean?" he asked immediately._

_Saria blinked. "...What do you... I..." she paused, and exhaled._

"_You don't understand?"_

_Link's stare had gone blank. He shook his head._

"_Oh," she breathed, looking away. _

_She... had no idea how to tell this to him. Why hadn't he already known? Maybe she wouldn't have had to be the one to explain this if Zelda had done it first. After all, she had made it clear that she wanted him in Hyrule. And not in the forest somewhere._

_With his charming and beautiful genius of a childhood friend._

"_Saria, what do you mean," he asked again. But this time his voice carried a hint of worry._

"_I thought that Zelda would be the one to tell you," she began, taking one of her hands into the other. "but I think the kingdom would... prefer you to stay in Hyrule." _

"_I don't want to..."_

_Link's eyebrows had wrinkled, furiously pushing against each other. His attention was locked below him, in the blue light. No one else was speaking, because this was obviously a moment of weakness. It was so rare... especially for Link._

"_You don't want to what?" she asked. Her arms were at her side. She was still. She had an idea of what was coming, but how could she be sure? Would he really choose this place, and this time, just to tell her... that?_

"_Now that it's over... I don't want to... I can't..."_

"_Link," Saria said to him sympathetically, as she watched his face go through a long process of frustration. _

"_I can't leave you-" _

_She couldn't believe it. The hero of time himself sputtered those words out... Four simple words- they were barely audible, even- just before he started to cry. Saria had no idea how hard it would hit her. Or him either. Her stomach started to clench itself, and her body now trembled. _

"_I don't want to leave you behind," he managed to finish. Saria watched as small streams ran down his face... and she suddenly felt so heartbroken, too. Angels weren't supposed to cry. Ever. "I don't ever want to forget you, Saria."_

_The forest sage exhaled, releasing her emotional frustration, and brought her hand to her mouth as tears welled in her eyes."I don't want to forget you either, Link," she said, her voice partially hidden behind parted fingers._

_His eyes came up, and his ice colored pupils were blurred with a furious red. "Can't I go back to being a child... can't I just choose to go back to the village and live there?"_

_He was pleading now. "After all I've done?"_

_Saria slightly shook her head, almost shrugging. _

"_I don't really know..."_

_He then turned to Zelda, who's slate blue eyes were blank. _

"_Can't I?"_

_To Saria, it looked as though the princess had already been prepared to answer. But it seemed that whichever the answer she was to give, she would not be happy. Who would ever want to be with someone who was already so heartfelt over another?_

"_You could. But you'd eventually... die," she admitted, her voice expressing how unthinkable of a matter it was to any of them. "And the Kokiri children would have to bear witness to that. Something they've never had to cope with before. I imagine Saria would be even more hurt than the rest of them if you were to stay, as well..."_

_Her steel blue eyes then moved to the light below. _

_Judging by Link's expression, he had no idea who to consider in this situation... Himself, his happiness and stability? Or the Kokiri, and their happiness and stability._

"_Link... just go back and visit."_

_Saria's heart started to hurt her with how forcefully it reacted. "For a little while," the Princess whispered. Princess Zelda wanted him to visit them, and leave. _

_Forever._

_Link suddenly turned. "What would you..."_

"_I told you, I already know that you and I were never meant to be together." She announced, cutting him off. "You should be happy that you have the opportunity to live your life in different stages... Be an adult. Be free."_

_And Link's face after that was enough to keep Saria crying an hour after she had stirred from her sleep._

Saria woke up again after that, the same morning, with heavy eyelids. She was still tired, and another one of those memories was not what she wanted to wake her from her peaceful slumber.

She pushed her old blanket from her body, getting a glimpse of the same old green turtleneck and shorts when she looked down at herself. She swung her legs over the bed, and pulled her boots over her feet.

What would she do today? Eat, study, and sleep, like she did every other day? Or would she dwell on Princess Zelda's decision to bind her to the temple for the rest of her life? And keep Link by her side as well?

Saria snarled silently. Yes, the Princess had actually done that. She had no idea if it was out of fear of Link trying to take her with him outside the forest, and maybe into the world even after he said he'd stay in Hyrule, or if it was just so Saria could devote her time to her studies, but she didn't really care. Either way, Zelda had made her life as miserable as it could possibly be, and she had the option not to.

Saria just decided to make her way to her library instead of letting her rage boil, and finish reading one of the earth magic tomes she'd started a few days ago. Reading those always helped. She sat down on the floor after pulling the book from the shelf, and flipped it open to the page with the green silk tassel atop it.

For hours, she read. She kept her chin in her hands with her legs crossed, taking in the rules of earthly magic that all fascinated her, no matter how big the range of effect. Eventually she broke free from the book and ate, starting to let some of the lessons from the book settle into her mind. Then she went to bed without any visitors or outside disturbance, and woke up the next morning with a weary heart. Another tearful memory again.

This cycle repeated itself for days- and those days turned into weeks. Then, weeks turned into months. Sure, months had passed before, almost a year she remembered. She had been alone all that time, but this was different, because Saria had been cursed by some sort of memory demon. It haunted her sleep, and sometimes her every thought. She began to cry herself to sleep sometimes, and even had so much pinned inside that she could cry all day. It took a while to realize it, but try as she might, Saria had no way to escape her life... the loneliness, or the sadness.

She knew this... but what could she ever do about it?

None of the other sages had bothered to ask her how she was doing, because they had their own lives. The Kokiri children had stopped coming to visit eventually, too.

Why? She had no answer of course. No one cared enough to know that she needed one, and no one could take the time to give her one when they did see her struggling alone. But it was the same with everything else.

She wouldn't let it bother her too much. All this negativity was enough to keep her inner vengeance-fire burning for a lifetime, she realized.

And it was only natural that because of her decision to ignore all the things that had made her miserable, another year had passed.

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><p>x x x<p>

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><p>Saria sat with her knees drawn to her chest, and the book on the floor in front of her. The night had been silent, mysterious and warm, for it was now summer again. She loved summer so much... It was the best time of the year, and for some reason, practicing her spells and even studying the boring tomes felt good with the summer heat on her shoulder.<p>

"_Crystal wave."_ she thought to herself.

Shards of stone or hardened earth could be summoned at her will, to rise and shatter in waves around her body. She'd come up with her own names for these foreign spell names, since _krisṭala vēva_ wasn't exactly part of the common language in Hyrule.

And then it hit her:

What would she use this for, anyway? The hero of time was supposed to save the world. Not a forest sage.

And even then, his job was done. Why would Zelda leave her here to study her abilities weren't needed anymore?

She pushed herself up from the floor, and dusted her bottom off. She pulled the tassel back over her reading place, and closed the book. As she reached the bookshelf and stored the tome in it's rightful place, she looked to her right. It was the meadow in front of the temple, the only view she had into the outside world.

She walked over to the entrance, and peered out into the area. It was still warm, and it gave her the urge to actually step outside into the darkness.

Well, it wasn't completely dark. There were little orbs of light scattered around the area. She just watched them as they bounced about... what were they doing here?

"Hello?"

She got no response, so she sat down at the edge of the broken temple entrance and let her legs dangle over the ledge. She continued to watch the orbs of light, and it reminded her of summer nights back in the Kokiri village. When everyone's fairies were gathered with their owners, who sat amongst each other in a big huddle. They'd play games, tell stories... and some, namely two, would break away from the group and just... talk.

She did miss him...

She had turned into a very bitter woman because of his unexplained absence. Yes, she could admit that. But underneath all the anger and depression she hid away from everyone else, was helpless affection. It was a fact that she still harbored something for him. How could she not?

One tear fell from her blue eye, and soon after, more were bound to follow. She continued to cry, laying her arms at her sides to lie back, and allowing her legs to dangle. She wasn't necessarily crying because she was hurt, but for once... it was just a memory that had shaken her up. A good one. One of the few that remained untouched by her cold attitude.

She looked into his eyes, and he was interested. He wanted to hear what she had to say. She watched his features, and he had wanted to smile sometimes. He held back, though, maybe for the sake of appearing grown up, she thought. And when he had finally talked to her – actually approached her to start entire conversations – she started to feel better. The clenches in her stomach felt sweet, and the racing in her chest always made her happy. She didn't know what was happening as it happened, but she was well aware of it now. She hadn't noticed his demeanor changing at that time, either, but she was able to remember everything that made it obvious. _If you thought about it for just a moment_, she noted. He wasn't _that_ easily read.

She folded her hands over her chest, and let her streams fall for a little longer. After all, her tears were shed for a better time, not the hatred she felt a year ago.

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><p><em>AN: Thank you guys for reviewing. I'm glad you're gonna keep up with this and I officially love you guys, even if you're just reading this story for the first time ^.^_

_Oh, and I always reply to anonymous reviewers at the end of the chappy. So... anons are always welcome to send me comments, questions, or whatever. :)_

_Reply to tadgh: Yes, Saria is really upset :( Link will definitely show up, but I'm not so sure that when he gets here, everything will be better right away. Let's just hope for the best, right? ;P_

_And a separate note for everyone:_

_This will go kind of slow in the beginning, but it's for a good purpose, I think. Just bear with me and Saria, things will take off eventually. We know what we're doing! We've got this! :D_


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